Predicting 3 Mets who will survive the trade deadline but won't be back next season
Which current Mets will be in different uniforms come 2024?
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Are the New York Mets going to be buyers or sellers? Right now the indication is they are looking to offload some veterans, and players such as Tommy Pham and Mark Canha continue to come up in those trade talks.
It's hard to imagine the Mets going with a full fire sale however, as some of their players might be valuable this season or don't have a good enough market to warrant a trade. These three Mets in particular will most likely still be in blue and orange at the end of 2023, but fans shouldn't expect to see them stick around for next year.
1) Carlos Carrasco's trade value is tanking, and the Mets will likely not re-sign him
After his eight inning masterclass in Arizona just a few weeks ago, Carlos Carrasco's trade value was at a season high. Despite all his struggles this season, that performance showed what could happen when he puts it all together, and the Mets were hopeful that he would give them another good start or two before the trade deadline.
Instead, Carrasco has once again regressed in what has been a horrific season from the former Cy Young finalist. With a 5.82 ERA across 14 starts, his value was low to begin with, but whatever trade the Mets could've made likely fizzled out after his Sunday Night Baseball start in Boston. Carrasco allowed 10 hits and 5 runs over just 2.1 innings, once again taking his team out of the game before it even gets started.
While his trade value is in the gutter, the Mets front office has to be happy that this will most likely be his last year in Queens. Carrasco is a free agent following this season, and given his recent performance it's highly unlikely that he gets a new contract from the Mets next season.
Originally obtained in the trade that brought Francisco Lindor to the Mets, Carlos Carrasco came in with a ton of upside and fans thought they had a great back of the rotation starter. Instead, he has posted a 4.83 ERA across his three seasons with the Mets, and with no team likely to trade for him, he figures to finish out the season with the team and then move on elsewhere.
2) Daniel Vogelbach will likely be on a new team next season once his contract runs out
The only remaining player from a horrific 2022 trade deadline, Daniel Vogelbach was projected to be a platoon bat that wouldn't be an everyday starter. Instead, he has been a regular fixture in the lineup, much to the dismay of Mets fans worldwide.
Vogelbach's .226 batting average as the primary DH has been a major source of the offensive struggles for the Mets. With only 14 extra base hits on the season, he hardly hits for power despite his lack of speed. Buck Showalter has also loved putting him in the 5th spot in the order, allowing pitchers to go at Pete Alonso a bit more aggressively due to Vogelbach's minimal threat behind him.
It's unlikely Vogelbach gets traded given Showalter's soft spot for him, and even if he was traded, his value is significantly lower than it was when they aquired him last season. The Mets could only dream of obtaining a pitcher like Colin Holderman for Vogelbach at this point of the season, meaning that fans are likely stuck watching him hit 5th for another couple months.
Fortunately, his time in New York is likely soon up. Vogelbach hits free agency in 2024, and the Mets should have much higher sights than him as a left handed power hitter. While I'm sure Buck Showalter will move mountains to keep Vogelbach and his .223 average in the lineup, the Mets should not get absolved into the sunk cost and upgrade in the offseason.
3) Despite having a player option, Omar Narvaez should be traded to a new team in 2024
Originally brought on to ease Francisco Alvarez into the big leagues, Omar Narvaez lost his starting spot after his injury and will remain a backup catcher for the remainder of his time with the Mets.
However, Narvaez would be foolish to not accept his $7 million player option for 2024. Hitting just .222 on the season, that option is far more than he would make on the open market, and his agent probably made up his mind on opting into it months ago. There have been rumors about trading him at the deadline, but if Alvarez's hand injury is serious then all of those are off the table.
Once he does inevitably accept the player option, it would be in the Mets best interest to move him to another catcher needy team in the offseason. While he is having a down year, the former All Star has shown flashes of hitting this season and would be an important piece for several teams with rough catcher situations. The Mets would almost certainly have to eat a portion of his salary, but should be able to obtain a decent prospect or bullpen arm in return if they do so.
Omar Narvaez has been incredibly servicable for the Mets this season, filling the backup catcher role and serving as a mentor for Francisco Alvarez. Despite this, he should still end up on a new team after accepting the player option, and the Mets can use the roster flexibility to upgrade other pieces of their team for 2024.
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